Possibly goldmani, as here constituted, is a composite form. The specimens from the high mountains closely resemble one another. However, a specimen, no. 68541 from "Finca El Cipres," Guatemala, which place Mr. G. Goodwin tells me is at an elevation of 2500 feet, approximately 5 miles north of Retalhuleu, has a basilar length of 47.3 and is correspondingly small in other parts. This suggests the existence of a small, lowland race on the western side of the central divide corresponding to perda and tropicalis on the eastern side. From only a few miles away, at San Sebastian, there is available, the adult skull of a still smaller animal. This skull only, no. 41026, in the Berlin Zoological Museum, has a basilar length of 46.1, zygomatic breadth of 27.4, and other cranial measurements notably smaller than those of specimens from the high mountains. A skin-only, no. 12038, collection of Donald R. Dickey, from La Cebia, altitude 2150 feet, near the city of San Salvador, seemingly represents an animal smaller than typical goldmani. This specimen from La Cebia has the light color of the underparts extended distally on the hind legs to the tips of the toes as in M. f. tropicalis. However, the upper parts are darker and resemble those of M. f. goldmani. A fourth specimen from only 3500 feet elevation, on the south side of Volcano Tajumulco, Guatemala, no. 41768, Field Museum of Natural History, a subadult male, measures only 490 in total length and has the least color of the underparts so restricted as to amount to only 22 per cent of the greatest width of the color of the upper parts. Both these features are suggestive of the lowland races.

These four specimens indicate that the lowland population on the western side of the divide is smaller than the mountain population. The juvenile from Carolina and a young male from Finca Cipres, however, both closely resemble individuals of goldmani from the higher mountains. All these animals here are referred to goldmani. More specimens may reveal an amount and a pattern of geographic variation in weasels of this region that will require application of another subspecific name.

The female, no. 68540, from Puebla agrees remarkably well with the skull of the female, no. 132528, of macrophonius. Differences displayed by the specimen from Puebla are its slightly narrower braincase and longer space between the foramen ovale and anterior end of the tympanic bulla. Considering the far eastern location of Puebla (just north of Río Motagua, at 89° W, according to a sketch map provided by Mr. G. G. Goodwin), this specimen might be expected to show some approach to the small lowland races. Actually, however, it displays the characters of goldmani better than does the subadult female from Volcano San Lucas, which is nearer the metropolis of goldmani, and I assume at a higher elevation than Puebla.

Concerning this weasel Merriam (1896:29) says: "Mr. E. W. Nelson writes me that this fine weasel is found sparingly in the forest about Pinabete, Chiapas, at an altitude of 7000 to 8000 feet (2100 to 2500 meters). The type specimen was shot in the afternoon while hunting on a heavily wooded hill slope. It was heard making long, slow leaps over the dry, crisp leaves. Coming to a log, it stood up and rested its fore feet on the log, in which position it was shot by Mr. Goldman."

The specimen taken by R. A. Stirton in Salvador comes from an elevation of 8000 feet in the rain forest of the Upper Tropical Life-zone. Mr. Stirton tells me that one morning on visiting his traps set for small rodents, he found in one the partly eaten remains of a Heteromys. Leaving these remains as found he placed a steel trap beside them and on the following morning found the male weasel in the trap.

At least three of the ten specimens had the frontal sinuses infested with parasites.

Specimens examined.—Total number, 15, listed by localities from north to south, and unless otherwise indicated in the American Museum of Natural History.

México: Chiapas: 20 mi. SE Teopisca, 2[91]; Pinabete, 1[91].

Guatemala: Puebla, 1; Finca Porvenir, 3500 ft., S slope Volcan Tajumulco, 1[60]; Sierra [= ? Cerro] Santa Elena, 9500 ft. (near Tecpám), 1[60]; Carolina, 1; Volcano San Lucas, 1; "Finca El Cipres," 1; "Finca Cipres," 2500 ft., 1; Finca San Isidro, San Sebastión, Dept. Retalhuleu, 1[4]; Dueñas, 1[7]; no locality more definite than Guatemala, 1[7].

El Salvador: Los Esesmiles, 8000 ft., Chalatenango, 1[59]; La Cebia, 2150 ft., near San Salvador, 1[59].

Mustela frenata macrophonius (Elliot)

Long-tailed Weasel